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Cast:
James Franco as Oscar Diggs/Oz
Mila Kunis as Theodora (wicked witch of the west)
Michelle Williams as Glinda the Good Witch
Rachel Weisz as Evanora (wicked with of the east)
Zach Braff as Frank and Finley
Joey King as China Girl
Abigail Spencer as Mrs. Hamilton
Ted Raimi as Skeptic/Tinker
Bruce Campbell as ???
Tony Cox as Knuck
Tim Holmes as The Strong Man
Martin Klebba as Nikko

Story synopsis:
When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis) Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

My only concern is there has never been a successful movie about "Wizard of Oz" since the 1939 Garland version. What makes them think they can do it now? Yes, I like JF, and this is a Disney movie, but I still have doubts.

"Don't wait for the world to be ready. Find what you're looking for."Joey Graceffa

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Nothing could ever be as good as the 1939 Judy Garland movie, prequel or not. The Wizard of Oz was the first movie I can clearly remember loving and it's still probably my favorite. Any other gay boys around here love that movie???

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

It certainly does have big ruby slippers to fill.

The problems we sometimes get with prequels is too much explaining of events that lead to the original for which we do not desire an explanation. They can be like watching a road-map instead of a motion picture; rather dull. Rather than craft a good story that stands on its own merit, prequels tend to rely too much of holding our hand to lead us up to things from the original that are better left mysterious. Though not all, a few prequels have been done quite well.

I really do not want to prejudge Oz this soon, as there really isn't much known about it; although what is known of the story thus far does not sound terribly exciting. I hope this movie doesn't focus on things like how the wicked witch of the west turned green; because I really don't care. She's a bad witch, she's supposed to be ugly. No backstory of her ugliness needed. Rather than explain the mysteriousness of Oz, I would hope it would show us more mysterious things we have not yet seen. I'm also not crazy about Disney doing this; Disney seems to have to have their name on everything, and now Oz.

Too bad it's not a musical. I would pay to see what Franco would do with that.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by Spiff

It certainly does have big ruby slippers to fill.

The problems we sometimes get with prequels is too much explaining of events that lead to the original for which we do not desire an explanation. They can be like watching a road-map instead of a motion picture; rather dull. Rather than craft a good story that stands on its own merit, prequels tend to rely too much of holding our hand to lead us up to things from the original that are better left mysterious. Though not all, a few prequels have been done quite well.

I really do not want to prejudge Oz this soon, as there really isn't much known about it; although what is known of the story thus far does not sound terribly exciting. I hope this movie doesn't focus on things like how the wicked witch of the west turned green; because I really don't care. She's a bad witch, she's supposed to be ugly. No backstory of her ugliness needed. Rather than explain the mysteriousness of Oz, I would hope it would show us more mysterious things we have not yet seen. I'm also not crazy about Disney doing this; Disney seems to have to have their name on everything, and now Oz.

Too bad it's not a musical. I would pay to see what Franco would do with that.

Maleficent and the Queen in Snow White beg to differ regarding bad witches and ugliness.

I didn't think I would enjoy knowing a back story for the Wicked Witch of the West either, but having read Gregory Maguire's book, I stand corrected. It's fascinating, offers a different perspective of the Wizard of Oz as a whole. Personally I think my enjoyment of Wizard of Oz is enhanced as a result.

Baum's book was written for children. Concepts of good and evil are simplified. Really, when you consider it:

1. The Good Witch of the North sent a girl off on her own in a strange land, knowing a 'wicked' witch was after her;

2. The Wizard sends her off on what he knows will likely be a mission doomed to failure, and result in her and her friends' deaths just so he wouldn't be exposed as a fraud; and

3. Glinda, the Good Witch of the South is conveniently incommunicado until all is said and done, appears (in the book) to tell Dorothy about the shoes and take the hat which controls the flying monkeys.

And at the end of the day, all the Wicked Witch of the West wanted... was her dead sister's damn ruby/silver (in the book) shoes.

Highly highly recommend Gregory Maguire's book. It's exceptional.

For all sad words of tongue and pen,
The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by braex27

3. Glinda, the Good Witch of the South

You just taught me more about Oz fanfare that I never knew. I never realized the Wizard of Oz film either got it wrong or intentionally combined the good witches of north and south to create the single Glinda, good with of the north character (I just read both theories around the 'net). Obviously, I never read any of the Baum books. I ought to do that some day.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by guyfromNY

Nothing could ever be as good as the 1939 Judy Garland movie, prequel or not. The Wizard of Oz was the first movie I can clearly remember loving and it's still probably my favorite. Any other gay boys around here love that movie???

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by Spiff

You just taught me more about Oz fanfare that I never knew. I never realized the Wizard of Oz film either got it wrong or intentionally combined the good witches of north and south to create the single Glinda, good with of the north character (I just read both theories around the 'net). Obviously, I never read any of the Baum books. I ought to do that some day.

Glad I could assist. I think MGM deliberately condensed the characters and the Wizard of Oz story, which is fair enough. I do like the 39 film. I tend to consider it and the books different beasts. Baum wrote a lot more about Oz - including stories about Ozma of Oz and Tik Tok, none of which are really as popular or well know.

I think the biggest improvement MGM made, completely aesthetic of course, is changing the silver slippers in the book to the iconic ruby slippers for the film - and all because red looked better in technicolor!

For all sad words of tongue and pen,
The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by evanrick

i was just thinking of what a great video game it would make.

American McGee once was trying to sell that idea and even did some concept work on it. It never happened. Strangely, action figure's were still sold based on McGee's concept. McGee also wrote a script for an Oz movie for Disney, but Disney apparently went with a different one.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Wow. You are tough to please. I guess I'll reserve judgment till I've experienced the finished product. Uh, it is kinda weird that Disney is looking to license everything. But hey, smart of them.

Originally Posted by braex27

I think the biggest improvement MGM made, completely aesthetic of course, is changing the silver slippers in the book to the iconic ruby slippers for the film - and all because red looked better in technicolor!

A screen-used pair of those damn things just recently sold for $2 mill.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Actually I'm not. I must have some interest in this movie, otherwise I would never have bothered to make this thread. I only said the story synopsis sounds kinda boring. That does not mean I have made up my mind on the finished product like you implied.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

I hope this Flick fares better than Return to OZ......The Studio went with a darker sequel to The Wizard of Oz...Return to OZ failure had NOTHING to do with the cast of Humans...It was the Oz animals/talking furniture/talking chickens and Rocks that sent it over-the-top....The Late-great Judy Garland would have thrown-up had she seen it.....

So Oz: The Great and Powerful is animated? I'll deff check it out because the story is promising...

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

It's gonna be interesting to see if they tell the story how one of the Witches creates the ALL powerful Ruby Slippers...Something happens where the 3 Witches believes Oz (the con-artist) is GREAT and powerful yet one of the Witches still ends up with the slippers or creating them in some way....

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

I expect the visuals to be amazing and truly fantasy like. But I'm a bit iffy about this. I'd still go see it but the fact that Disney is involved kind of worries me. But what do I know, I'm just a newbie

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

It worries me because it looks too much like Burton's Alice in Wonderland, which was a disappointment. And the black and white Kansas is unnecessary. Technicolor has been out since the Wizard of Oz, so transitioning from Kansas to Oz is not going to wow audiences like it did in 1939 and have the same effect. Maybe the actual story will end up being this movie's saving grace.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by braex27

The purchaser was possibly under the mistaken belief that it was a 'one and only' when in fact there were about half a dozen pairs... just like the blue gingham dress.

I'm pretty sure any party willing to spend that much dough would have some idea of what they were purchasing. I would hope the new proud owner is some kind of org looking to display, but you never know. (Especially when they don't tell.)

Only four sets of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers remain. One in the Smithsonian, the pair stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a mismatched pair owned by collector Michael Shaw and these [$2mill] shown on “Hollywood Treasures” known as the “beauty pair” used for close-ups, such as Dorothy’s exit scene with Glinda.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Tin Man: One of those weird great acting/great visuals/bad script issues. If they hadn't tried so hard re-vamping the characters and adding darkness to them while making the Wicked Witch more powerful, it probably would have worked.

MisterMajestic: That's why you really debate following the source material. The original books had a lot of things talking that normally didn't talk.

Movie: So far so, so good.....

Isn't it weird that those that condemn others for being intolerant are usually the most intolerant themselves? My How to Write Blog

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by MisterMajestic

I hope this Flick fares better than Return to OZ......The Studio went with a darker sequel to The Wizard of Oz...Return to OZ failure had NOTHING to do with the cast of Humans...It was the Oz animals/talking furniture/talking chickens and Rocks that sent it over-the-top....The Late-great Judy Garland would have thrown-up had she seen it.....

So Oz: The Great and Powerful is animated? I'll deff check it out because the story is promising...

I am glad someone besides me knows about the film Return to Oz which I love more than the garland film now that I'm older. I think the main problem people had with with RTO is that it was a very dark movie just like the books were but audiences hadn't read the books they had only seen the mgm version so they were not ready for a film that was not an upbeat/uplifting musical that the whole family could enjoy. I enjoyed it however and am a fan of the film as well as the mgm film.

This new oz film looks like it could be really good and I look foward to seeing it when it is released. I just hope people don't constantly compare it to the mgm film like they did RTO which led to its box office failure and why its been so long since disney has attempted to make another Oz film.

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Originally Posted by tribemaster07

I am glad someone besides me knows about the film Return to Oz which I love more than the garland film now that I'm older. I think the main problem people had with with RTO is that it was a very dark movie just like the books were but audiences hadn't read the books they had only seen the mgm version so they were not ready for a film that was not an upbeat/uplifting musical that the whole family could enjoy. I enjoyed it however and am a fan of the film as well as the mgm film.

This new oz film looks like it could be really good and I look foward to seeing it when it is released. I just hope people don't constantly compare it to the mgm film like they did RTO which led to its box office failure and why its been so long since disney has attempted to make another Oz film.

I was a kid when Return to Oz came out...I didnt think it was better than The Wizard of Oz.....Movie-goers knew Return to Oz wasnt gonna be a Musical...The studio didnt mislead the public when they promoted the film...I still remember being excited about going to see it.......Are you saying you didnt like Return to Oz as a kid but you like it now that you're an Adult because you appreciate the Director focusing on the dark side?

Originally Posted by goldenmoth

If you're after great cult hits set in the land of Oz give 'The Wiz' a go. Seriously, it's fantastic.

The Wiz is fantastic and all the songs are on-point...The Wicked Witch is beyond horrifying but she steals the scene.....If I remember correctly Dorothy's shoes in The Wiz are Silver as they should be according to the book...But this particular Dorothy is Black...LOL....

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

Looks awesome! I love the money shot at the end! I'm still not sure about Mila as the Wicked Witch but I'm interested to find out what she's like! I hope they don't go overboard with the 3D and just have nonstop things flying at the screen and matrix zoomaround etc!

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

For some reason I thought Rachel Weisz's character would become the Wicked Witch of the West. I agree, Goldenmoth, I am a little uncertain about Mila Kunis in that role. Also, isn't the Wicked Witch of the West meant to be the older sister?

Anyway. The trailer looks amazing.

For all sad words of tongue and pen,
The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'

Re: Oz: The Great and Powerful

I'm lucky enough to own an original Wizard of Oz book from 1899, lucky estate sale purchase, and I absolutely love the books/original movie. Have the Mego dolls from the mid 70s that I just bought this year.

Anyways, this preview looks great and I am excited to see this movie as it is a focus on the Wizard and how he came to be with probably a little backstory on the other characters as well.

I know a couple other avid fans of the original movie and they are psyched to see this picture too.